It has been up and running for a while now, and has been well received. But the new electronic touch-screen directory in the Barton County Courthouse rotunda has already undergone an upgrade and more improvements are coming, the Barton County Commission learned Monday morning.
Information Technology Director John Debes worked with Facilities Management to install the electronic device. They also replaced the 22-inch display with a 46-inch HDTV and are working with the vendor to make modifications to create a display unique to Barton County that includes the names of office holders and contact information.
The Barton County Commission in December approved the purchase and installation directory for $2,715 from Electronic Directory Corporation of Chicago, Ill.
The flat directory hangs on the north wall of the first-floor near the engineering office. The project had been in the works for about year after the county’s Employee Relations Committee set out to find a replacement for the old directory kiosk that sat in the center of the rotunda.
However, it was hard to replace. Similar displays would cost over $5,000.
So, they started looking for a digital replacement.
The information on the display came up in Barton County Administrator Richard Boeckman’s bi-weekly departmental update. Other highlights of the report were:
Information technology
• Phone systems update – With the project complete, phones settings are now being tweaked for individual users.
• The security cameras at the jail are obsolete and the contract is up for renewal. Met with Thermal Components, and Nex-tech to discuss update options.
• A KBI audit was performed at the Sheriff’s Office. Assisted in that audit relative to computer use.
• Assisted the Treasurer’s Office with balancing the 2012 tax roll.
• Attended HAVA training.
• Renewed the County’s cell phone agreement.
• Purchased a Lenovo ThinkPad laptop for shared use.
• Installed new/updated PC’s, repaired and/or replaced printers, scanners etc. as needed. Equipment is recycled or reused as possible.

County Engineer  Clark Rusco
• Provided surveys for Road and Bridge for construction at the Veterans Section, Golden Belt Cemetery.
• Completed surveys for KDOT High Risk Rural Road signage Phase 3 grant application. Grant application has been sent to KDOT for review.
• Preparing sign database for KDOT HRRR signage Phase 2 project.
• Tenth Street Bridge repair project is now being advertised.

Road and Bridge Director Dale Phillips
• Staff continues to asphalt potholes.
• Asphalt overlays were completed on South Washington and on asphalt roads northeast of Ellinwood.
• Asphalt patching was placed over a new culvert placement north of Odin.
• Sign work included placement of Veterans Memorial signs on North Washington and on Northwest 50 Road.
• Stop sign replacement due to vandalism and wind damage continued as reported.
• Several culverts were delivered for oilfield entrances to be installed by oil construction contractors. Contractors reimburse the County for the culverts.
Noxious Weed:
• Staff sprayed for Musk Thistle and other noxious weeds.
Memorial Parks
• Memorial Parks work included marking graves, working on the Veterans Monument, sidewalk repairs and grave maintenance.

Emergency Risk Manager Amy Miller
The Kansas Division of Emergency Management hosted a Regional Mitigation Plan Kickoff Meeting on April 25  in the Stafford County Annex Building, St. John. Entities, including school districts, municipalities, special districts and certain non-profits within Barton County, were invited to attend the meeting.
Although Barton County currently has a Hazard Mitigation Plan, it will be updated to a regional hazard mitigation plan. The new Regional Jurisdictional Mitigation Plan for Barton County, and will include Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa, Pawnee, Pratt and Stafford Counties. In addition, not only will each County government be represented but also local governments within each County with taxing authority, such as cities, townships and school districts, can be planning partners if they choose to participate.
 Non-government organizations, private non profits and rural electric cooperatives may be eligible for grant funding if they are in a jurisdiction with an approved plan, they participate and their project is consistent with the plan’s goals and objectives.
All current participants in the Barton County Hazard Mitigation Plan have been invited to participate and have been asked to update their information for the new plan. Miller is the local contact for the Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan.
In addition, work continues on providing information for the South Central Kansas Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Study. Barton County Emergency Management and fire departments countywide have provided information for the study. It is expected that the contractor for the project will complete traffic studies by the end of June.

Solid Waste Manager Mark Witt
• 2,655.61 tons of municipal solid waste
• 306.67 tons of construction/demolition waste
• 48.00 tons of special waste
• 582.65 tons of brine contaminated soil
• 195.64 tons of petroleum contaminated soil
• 742 loads of waste received for disposal
• $143,517.92 revenue generated through disposal fees
Solid Waste staff received waste from a Union Pacific train derailment from McPherson County. Approximately 115 loads of waste were received for disposal/destruction as the loads contained damaged consumer goods and petroleum contaminated soil from the accident. The damaged consumer goods were not allowed to be removed or recycled due to insurance reimbursement policies and railroad regulations.
The Barton County Landfill received a Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Waste inspection of the Construction and Demolition Landfill last week. The inspection resulted in no violations of State regulations and the inspector commended Barton County on its management of the Landfill.

Health Director Lily Akings
• Clinic contacts, 190
• WIC contacts, 216
• Ordered digital sign